October 22, 2026
Column
Trick-or-treat
Halloween is fast approaching, and soon all the little ghosts and goblins will be out looking for treats. This year my mind is waxing nostalgic about my young years and Halloween. I thought I’d share those thoughts with you, so here we go!
Overlooked
Ihave a question for you to ponder today…have you ever been overlooked?
Blessed Assurance – Life’s problems
Take it from me, a pastor, there’s a lot of problems in the lives of those living with and around us. Maybe you are facing one or more yourself right now. Life’s problems abound and come in all shapes and sizes. The Buddha understood this and thus was able to discern the Four Noble Truths of life which in abbreviated form state “that life is suffering; suffering is caused by greed; suffering ends when we stop being greedy; and the way to do that is to follow something called the Eightfold Path”. Other religious leaders and sacred texts suggest that it is not just greediness that are the cause of life’s problems, it is our over identification with our needs above and beyond the needs of others.
Thoughts from the Crossroads – Acorns, apples and berries, oh my!
Ilove walking in the forest this time of year and hearing acorns falling down to the ground. On a quiet day, that little “plunk” sound is really quite loud. Acorns are a nutrient-dense food source that enable wild creatures to start bulking up for winter. Mother Nature knows animals will need stored fat to use for energy reserves when temperatures drop and food is scarce. So she provides them with foods high in fat, protein and carbohydrates.
Blessed Assurance – Walk this way
E arly in our lives most of us learn to walk. This developmental milestone is usually celebrated with video and FaceTime and other forms of sharing. We all know intrinsically that learning to walk is the way for us to continue to grow and develop into the people we are meant to be. Delays in walking cause great angst and typically a great deal of searching for clues as to why a child isn’t walking as early as they should. No one teaches us to walk – we begin by crawling, by pulling up on furniture, by holding hands with parents, siblings and relatives.
Thoughts from the Crossroads – Glimmers
October is the time of year when we start wearing long sleeves for warmth. Bringing those jackets and sweatshirts out of the closet often leads to one of the greatest feelings ever.
On & Off Earth – October: best month of the autumn season?
October, the gateway to Fall, gets started looking much like summer. Trees, farms and lawns, after three wet months, remain lush and green but late hay harvests and hints of color in the forest tell a tale of pending change. The dogwoods are the first to turn up the color, both with leaves and berries. Sassafras and tupelos (black gum) are quick to join in and dump the green chlorophyll, letting the background reds and yellows shine through.
Letters from Dogwood – Listen closely
Sometimes listening to the conversations of others can be quite interesting and amusing. As a writer I sometimes find material I can use. One such event led to an entire poem that I call “Half an Ear.” A lady on one end of a phone conversation was just told about the death of Walter, then replied just before she disconnected, “Please tell Wallie I am thinking of him.’’
Thoughts from the Crossroads – Hallie & Bella
Ihaven’t devoted a column to my cats in quite awhile, and their fans continue to ask how they are. It always amazes me when someone in public recognizes me from my photo (or sometimes, by my name). And a large majority of the time, they ask about Hallie and Bella. Of course, I never tell the cats that. Don’t need them to get the big head - they already think the world revolves around them.
